The Folio Life: Joe's blog, no. 38
About six years ago I was asked by David Chambers, then editor of The Private Library, if I would like to contribute an article about Folio limited editions. The Private Library being a distinguished journal, circulated to bibliophiles throughout the world, I agreed with alacrity, and plunged into the task with great enthusiasm. The more I wrote, however, the more I realised that a mere article would not cover the ground even sketchily – especially since the longer it took me to write it, the more new editions there were to write about so by the time I finished there were about 50 per cent more than when I started – so the scope got ever larger. David was tolerance personified, and said I could write as much as I wanted and take as long as I liked.
It was only this year, when I reduced my commitment to Folio, that I was able to spend enough time on the article to bring it up to the present, then to design the layout and add some illustrations. By this time it had grown to about four times the original length, and it was decided to devote an entire issue of the journal to it, 64 pages in all. Finished copies have been delivered, and I would modestly urge anyone with an interest in Folio limited editions to acquire one, for the very modest price of £6. Postage is free in the UK, at cost overseas. If you are interested, please email Jim Maslen maslen@maslen.karoo.co.uk who will arrange payment and send you a copy. Here are a couple of spreads to give an idea of the content:
The article is a retrospective of the years 2001 to mid-2017, but the limited edition programme of course still carries on, and I am still involved in some of the titles. The most imminent of these is a collection of Old English poetry, illustrated by Alan Lee. Alan has been producing a series of gloriously detailed borders to print around the text and illustrations and here is a sample spread:
I have also been hard at work on a new book from Charles van Sandwyk. Collectors of his work have always treasured the little volumes of fairy lore he has written, illustrated and published over the last twenty years or more. For the first time, these are being gathered together in a single volume and made available to a wider audience. When asked the Peter Pan question I cannot honestly put my hand up and say I believe in fairies, but if anyone could convert me it would be Charles, who evidently does. Here are a couple of spreads from the new book:
The article is a retrospective of the years 2001 to mid-2017, but the limited edition programme of course still carries on, and I am still involved in some of the titles. The most imminent of these is a collection of Old English poetry, illustrated by Alan Lee. Alan has been producing a series of gloriously detailed borders to print around the text and illustrations and here is a sample spread:
I have also been hard at work on a new book from Charles van Sandwyk. Collectors of his work have always treasured the little volumes of fairy lore he has written, illustrated and published over the last twenty years or more. For the first time, these are being gathered together in a single volume and made available to a wider audience. When asked the Peter Pan question I cannot honestly put my hand up and say I believe in fairies, but if anyone could convert me it would be Charles, who evidently does. Here are a couple of spreads from the new book:
